The moment these words were spoken, Su Su's heart turned half cold.
Give her a sword, and she could defeat everyone present, but where would she know how to dance?
Ye Xi Wu from her memories could dance, but this skill had never been "unlocked" in Su Su.
The musicians were already prepared.
The Demonesses moved to the center of the bedchamber, and Su Su reluctantly followed.
She silently stood at the back of the group, hoping to hide her lack of skill behind them.
The Demoness in front gave her a strange look.
Now that she thought about it, the body Su Su had knocked out was originally supposed to stand at the front. Seeing Su Su "voluntarily give up her spot," the Demoness was inwardly delighted and, not caring what was wrong with Su Su, happily took Su Su’s original position.
As the music began, the women raised their sleeves, their figures enchanting and graceful as they danced.
Tantai Jin had once been a prince of the Zhou Kingdom in the mortal realm, where music and dance were renowned throughout the world. The Yiyue tribe under his rule was also skilled in song and dance.
In comparison, the Demonesses' dance was more seductive but no more impressive than the breathtaking mortal dances of the past.
A flash of inspiration struck Su Su. She couldn’t dance, but with so many people, the absence of one among nine shouldn’t be visually noticeable.
As long as she moved nimbly enough, she could hide herself during the dancers' transitions.
Tantai Jin watched the Demonesses coldly, sipping from his cup.
He never called for them to stop, his Demonic Pupils dark and icy, his expression devoid of any intoxication from watching beautiful women dance.
Su Su minimized her presence to the lowest possible level.
The Demonesses danced on the surface, but in reality, they were all observing Tantai Jin’s reaction. With the Demon Lord wearing such an expression, was he pleased or displeased?
His demeanor remained indifferent, completely unlike the excited male Demonic Cultivators outside. Halfway through the dance, the women grew uneasy.
Today’s dance was meant to secure a night with the Demon Lord.
If the Demon Lord remained expressionless, would they even be allowed to stay?
Their hearts filled with trepidation as they completed the final pose.
Su Su crouched at the back of the group and let out a sigh of relief—it was finally over.
"Finished?" His voice carried a hint of mocking amusement.
The lead woman broke out in a cold sweat, sensing an inexplicable pressure. But ambition and greed compelled her to speak: "We have prepared something else for the Demon Lord."
"Something else?" he murmured.
His face was already exquisitely beautiful to the extreme, and his slightly hoarse voice was utterly captivating.
Compared to the female cultivators, he was the one who could topple nations—cruel and powerful.
Demonic Beasts naturally revered strength. The lead woman nearly crawled forward, her gaze infatuated: "Demon Lord, allow us to serve you, won’t you?"
All eyes were filled with anticipation.
Demonic Beasts were inherently promiscuous, with no concept of chastity. Tantai Jin tilted his head to look at them and chuckled softly: "Then one may stay."
His words ignited a frenzy among the women. Regretting that they couldn’t all stay, they immediately began competing, turning the previously harmonious atmosphere tense.
Su Su inwardly cursed him as a lecher.
The women his gaze swept over looked at him with silent seduction. Su Su knew that to maintain her act, she had to commit fully. In her current divine form, Tantai Jin shouldn’t be able to see through her illusion at a glance.
If she stood out, she’d draw attention.
Su Su adjusted her expression, her eyes shimmering. She was, after all, the most beautiful woman in the immortal realm. Even her usual smiles were breathtaking, though she herself didn’t realize that her naive, untrained allure was the most captivating.
Her bright eyes carried a faint smile, the blue crystals at the corners of her eyes and brows glinting as she looked at the black-robed youth lounging lazily.
The moment their eyes met, he paused, his fingers tightening around the cold stone throne.
A moment later, Tantai Jin coldly averted his gaze and raised a hand to point.
The woman he pointed to was overjoyed and about to thank him when his finger suddenly shifted—to Su Su.
"You."
Though Su Su had considered using this identity to take the ring from his hand, his choice made her suspect: Had Tantai Jin recognized her?
Just as this doubt arose, the man on the throne said indifferently: "Tomorrow, she and the others will come in turn."
He casually pointed to a few more.
Now Su Su no longer doubted. She gritted her teeth, suppressing her anger.
Those who became demons were truly depraved!
Though the women were disappointed they couldn’t stay immediately, the thought of another chance satisfied them as they left.
"What are you standing there for? Should this lord serve you? Get over here," Tantai Jin sneered, commanding.
Su Su had no choice but to approach.
"Pour the wine," he said.
Suppressing her anger—the Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array was the most important thing!—she sat beside him and filled his cup. Tantai Jin took the jade cup, and Su Su noticed the black ring indeed adorned his thumb.
Tantai Jin’s cultivation was unfathomable, and he possessed three Demonic Artifacts. Without knowing the location of the Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array or obtaining the ring, Su Su dared not act rashly.
He had turned to the demonic path, but no one knew how much of his heart truly belonged to it.
"Continue."
She poured cup after cup; he drank them all.
Neither spoke.
The night in the Demon Realm grew colder. Even with her divine body, Su Su felt her skin grow icy. The Demon Realm was a place forsaken by the six realms—harsh, alternating between freezing cold and scorching heat.
She didn’t resist the cold; this identity didn’t permit her to display profound cultivation.
After finishing all the Drunken God Brew, Tantai Jin suddenly grabbed her wrist. Before she could react, she was pulled into his lap. Through the veil, he gripped her chin and stared coldly at her.
"What’s your cultivation level?"
Su Su altered her voice: "Condensing Origin."
The throne, forged from cold stone, was unbearably frigid. Su Su’s teeth chattered. His eyes filled with disdain as his grip on her chin tightened slightly.
Su Su let out a low whimper.
His body was just as cold.
Having become a demon, he was like this forsaken land—stripped of warmth.
Without a word, he picked her up and carried her toward the wide bed.
The flickering demonic flames cast dancing shadows. Su Su suddenly felt a pang of panic.
This wasn’t something they hadn’t done before—back when both she and Tantai Jin were still mortals. Back then, he had hated her, often treating her roughly. Only in moments of uncontrollable passion would she glimpse unguarded tenderness and joy in the eyes of that loveless mortal youth.
The Spring Silkworm Curse had long vanished into history. Instinctively, she wanted to retreat—but then she saw the ring on his hand and forced herself to stay.
To back out now would ruin everything.
But if she didn’t leave, would she really have to indulge in passion with Tantai Jin in the Demon Realm?
The black-robed Demon Lord caught the flicker of hesitation in her eyes and mocked: "If you’re unwilling, get out. I’ll call someone else."
This angered Su Su, dispelling all her flustered hesitation. Staring at the flame-like demonic mark on Tantai Jin’s forehead, she only wanted to destroy the Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array and then stomp on his hateful face a few times.
Gritting her teeth, she smiled: "The Demon Lord misunderstands. It is this humble one’s honor to serve you."
Just wait, you idiot.
The path of righteousness was vast—why fear the sacrifice of flesh? She had endured the Phoenix’s burning agony. Later, she’d use Chongyu to smash his head in.
Tantai Jin’s black robes fell away. He didn’t remove her veil, seemingly indifferent to what lay beneath—whether beautiful or ugly, it didn’t matter.
He only watched the girl’s blazing, furious black eyes.
After a long moment, he said coldly: "Close your eyes."
Su Su’s hope shattered. She thought, Let’s just get this over with.
A cold hand covered her eyes and lashes. The sudden darkness made her hallucinate—for a moment, she felt as if the man above her loved her deeply.
A pang of confusion struck her, and she nearly opened her eyes to see his expression.
The next moment, a black cloth blindfolded her.
She heard his mocking, humiliating voice: "Weren’t you the ones who said you’d give this lord ‘something else’? Standing there like a wooden fish—is this all you’ve got?"
What nonsense about deep affection!
Unable to bear it any longer—Demonic Cultivators weren’t mortal women, after all—she conjured ice shards fitting her current identity and stabbed his shoulder.
But Tantai Jin now possessed the body of a Demon God. The ice shattered upon contact, vanishing into nothingness.
Su Su thought she heard him chuckle softly.
Was it her imagination?
When she listened again, there was no sound.
The night passed in fervor. At some point, the Demon Realm no longer felt cold.
As the Demon Realm’s "night" ended, Su Su, not daring to reveal her divine cultivation, suppressed her power and fell into a deep sleep.
The girl’s bare feet were delicate and lovely. Her veil remained, her pale hand resting unconsciously on Tantai Jin’s chest.
Beneath that chest lay a beating heart—everyone’s fatal weakness.
He didn’t move her hand away.
The black-haired, red-lipped Demon Lord kissed her lips through the veil.
Outside, Jing reported: "Demon Lord, Jing has matters to report."
Tantai Jin didn’t move, sending a mental message. Jing heard his cold, indifferent voice: "Wait."
"Yes."
After a long while, Jing found it strange—a rich fragrance filled the chamber, like blooming Epiphyllum, carrying a sacred aura that seemed to repel Demonic Energy.
The ancient Hanba’s sharp senses made Jing frown. In an instant, the fragrance dissipated, replaced by thick Demonic Energy.
As if it had all been her imagination.
Jing hesitated but reassured herself: With the Demon Lord here, divine energy couldn’t possibly appear in the Demon Realm.
The black-robed Demon Lord didn’t let her enter. He draped on his robes and stepped out.
"Speak."
As Jing was about to speak, she caught a whiff of fragrance on him—a woman’s scent. On the Demon Lord’s neck were faint scratches.
"Demon Lord, last night you…" It took Jing a while to compose herself, her expression odd. "You were too indulgent."
For Demonic Beasts, indulgence was normal. But the Demon God was born without desire—such matters were trivial to him.
Even if Tantai Jin’s experiences differed, with love threads in his body, after merging with the Demon Core and reaching unparalleled cultivation, he shouldn’t have been so…
Jing couldn’t articulate it. The Demon Lord could indulge in pleasure, but he shouldn’t have recklessly allowed the woman to harm his divine body.
It was as if he’d handed his life to her.
Tantai Jin looked at her coldly: "Speak if you have something to say. Otherwise, get out."
His overwhelming pressure forced Jing to cover her chest: "Jing came to report—the Demonic Energy in the Profound Return Array seems abnormal."
Others didn’t know, but Tantai Jin and Jing were clear: the Profound Return Array was merely a decoy. The true force at work was the Path of Shared Sorrow left by the ancient Demon God—a power capable of devouring heaven and earth, altering the universe.
The Profound Return Array converted Spiritual Energy into Demonic Energy, nourishing the Path of Shared Sorrow.
Once the Path grew strong enough, four orbs would activate it. Then, Demonic Energy would flood the world, awakening the ancient Demon God’s power to overturn the six realms, turning all beings into demons.
Lately, Demonic Beasts had been slaughtering freely. Now, as the Path neared completion, Jing—who guarded it daily—sensed something amiss.
A sense of crisis gripped her, though she couldn’t pinpoint why.
Tantai Jin said: "Let’s take a look."
Jing followed. Before leaving, her eyes turned gray-brown, piercing through the chamber walls.
On the bed, the Demon Lord’s black cloak covered the woman’s body.
Her pale legs were exposed, dotted with blooming red marks.
Jing smirked but pretended not to notice, following Tantai Jin.
A wisp of white divine energy quietly clung to Tantai Jin as they traversed the desolate Demon Realm, arriving at a place teeming with Blood Ravens.
The ravens scattered, clearing a path for him.
The stench of blood filled the air as a transparent Barrier came into view.
Beyond it lay a void-like world—dark, frigid, silently terrifying, impossible to scrutinize.
As the Barrier touched the ring on Tantai Jin’s finger, he and Jing stepped through. The white divine energy clinging to him quietly dissipated.
In the Demon Palace bedchamber, the seemingly asleep girl opened her eyes and sat up.
"I’ve found the Nine Revolutions Profound Return Array."
Su Su glanced at the cloak covering her and gritted her teeth.
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